Amusement device



March 21, 19-33. 5 w. SHEPHERD 6 1,902,381

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 9. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 l /5 v/2 5; I? /26 my F2 I j Inventor A llomey March 21, 1933. 7 s w SHEPHERD 1,902,381

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor AttorneyPatented Mar. 21, 1933 SOLOMON W. SHEPHERD, 0F ORLO VISTA, FLORIDAAMUSEMENT navrcn Application filed May v 9,

This invention relates to amusement devices generally and moreparticularly to devices of this character of the rotary swing Theprimary object of the invention is to provide,in a manner'as hereinafterset forth, an amusement device of the aforementioned character embodyinga supporting structure 16 mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane andhaving suspended therefrom one or more carriages or cars which areadapted to be swung from side to side while traveling in a circle withthe supporting structure.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an amusementdevice of the character described including one or more carriages or'cars suspended for lateral swinging movement from a rotary supportingstructure and having operatively associated therewith occupant actuatedmeans whereby thecarriages or cars may be caused to'swing from side toside while traveling in a circular course with the supporting structure.1

A still further important object of the invention is to provide anamusement device of the character set forth of a construction andarrangement whereby the lateral swinging movement of the carriages orcars may be eliminated when it is so desired.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an amusement device whichwill be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable which willprovide considerable enjoyment for persons using the same and which maybe manufactured and assembled at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention may become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein V Figure 1 is a sectional Viewtaken through .the rotary supporting structure and showing a cariage orcar supported therefrom, said carrlage or car belng shown in elevation.V

Figure 2 1s a top plan view thereof.

1930. Serial No. 451,087.

Figure 3 is a view illustrating the mechanism for causing the lateralswinging movement of the carriages;

Figure 4 is a view in perspective showing one of the carrlages or cars.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the referencenumeral 1 designates generally a suitable rotary. supporting structurewhich includes the radiating arms 2 between the outer ends of whichextend the connecting bars 3. The supporting structure 1 is to berotated by any suitable means.

A car or carriage designated generally by the reference character 4 (seeFigure 4) is suspended from the connecting bars 3 through the medium ofthe hangers 5 having the eyes 6 on their upper ends for rotatablyreceiving said connecting bars 3. The car or carriage 4 further includesspaced stationary floorsections 7 between which is rockably mounted aplatform 8 from the opposite ends of which project the stub shafts 9.The upper end portions of the hangars 5 are connected by a strut 10. Thecar or carriage 4 further includes a pair of seats 11 disposed above therockable platform 8 and on opposite sides thereof; Extending between theseats 11 at theopposite ends of the car are thehandles 12. 4

A bar 13 has an intermediate portion supported for rocking movement onthe strut 10 and cables 14 connect the opposite end port-ion'of'said bar13 with the stub shafts 9 in a manner tocause the rocking of the bar 13when the platform 8 isrocked. I

A pair of reverselyi disposed ratchet discs 15-are fixed on theconnecting rods 3 between the hanger eyes 6 and mounted on saidconnecting rods between the ratchet discs is a bar 16 upon the oppositeend portions of which are pivotally mounted the bell'crank levers 17.Rods 18 cross each other and have their opposite ends secured to one endof the rod 13 and their oppositeends secured to the upper end of thebell crank levers 17 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3 ofthe drawings. Pawls 19 are pivotally mounted on opposite sides of thebar 16 for engagement with theadjacent ratchet discs 15. The pawls 19are operatively connected to the lower ends of the bell crank levers 17for actuation thereby through the medium of the links 20. A rod 21connects the bell crank levers 17 together in a manner to cause the sameto swing in unison.

Rods 22 are anchored to the opposite end portions of the arms 16 andextend downwardly therefrom and are connected to the central portion ofthe bar 13 through the medium of a coil spring 23.

In operation, the occupants may repose on the seats 11 when thesupporting structure 1 is in motion and the carriages or cars 4 willfollow a true circular course. Should it be desired to causethe cars toswing laterally from side to side as the same travel around with thesupporting structure, the occupants may assume the position clearlyillustrated in Figure 1 ofthe drawings with one foot placed on one sideof theaxisof .the rockable platform 8 and the other foot on the otherside'thereof. Now, by throwing all of the weight on one end of theplatform 8, a pulling force is transmitted to the opposite end of thearm 16in a manner to rock the bell crank levers and engage the dog orpawl 19 with its respective ratchet discs 15, thus securing the arm 16against rotary movement on the connecting bar 3. In an obvious manner,the car will start to swing laterally in a direction opposite to theside upon which the weight has been placed. As the car reaches the endof this swinging movement the weight is shifted to the opposite end oftheplatform with the result that the first pawl isdisengaged from itsrespective ratchet disc and simultaneously the other pawl is movedtoward its respective ratchet disc. As before stated, the pawls move inunison and during the intervals when most pawls are disengaged from theratchet discs, the spring .23, through the medium of the rods or wires22 shift the bar 16 into parallelism with the member 13. The carriagethen begins the return swing and the operation is repeated.

"It is believed that the many advantages of an amusement deviceconstructed in accordance with this invention will be readilyunderstood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is asillustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in thedetails of construction will be had which willfall within the scope ofthe invention as claimed.

Whatvis claimed is '1. An amusement device comprising, in combination, arotatable supporting structure including radiating arms, connectingrodsexten'clingbetween the outer ends of-the arms, a car suspended forlateral swinging movement from the connecting rods, and coacting -meanscarried by the connecting rods and the car and operable'by the wow pantsof said car for causing the car to swing laterally.

2. An amusement device comprising, in combination, a rotatablesupporting structure, a car suspended therefrom for rotary movementtherewith and adapted for lateral swinging movement thereon, and.coacting means on the supporting :structureend the car and operable bythe occupants of said car for causing the same to swing laterally.

3. An amusement device comprising,'in combination, a rotatablesupporting structure including outwardly extending arms and connectingrods disposed between the outerportions of said arms, a car suspendedfor lateral swinging movement from the rods, a pair of ratchet discs:fixed on .the connecting rods, said ratchetidiscslbeingreverselydisposed with respect to each other, a bar mounted forswingingmovementon the connecting rods between the discs,:pawls mounted on the bar andengageable with the ratchet discs in a manner to secure the bar againstrocking movement on the con necting rod, a rockable platform mounted inthe car for actuationby the occupants thereof, means oper-ativelyconnecting the opposite ends of the platform to thevpawl in a manner toalternately engage saidpawl with'the respective ratchet discs uponrocking movement ofithe platform and resilient means for shifting theba'rinto parallelism with the car when the pawls are disengaged from theratchet discs.

4:. An amusement device comprising, in

combination, a rotatable supporting structure, a car -mounted foroscillation on the supporting structure, and means operable by anoccupant/of the car for positively oscillating said car.

5. An amusement device comprising, in combination, a rotatablesupporting structure, a car suspended for lateral oscillation on thesupporting structure, and means operable by an occupant of the carforpositively oscillating said carindependently-of the rotary movementthereof with the supporting structure.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SOLOMON W. SHEPHERD.

